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Remedial teaching will stay, says Minister

Bangalore: The practical problems involved in providing remedial teaching in government schools will be sorted out soon, but there is no question of suspending the programme meant to help slow learners, said Minister for Primary and Secondary Education Vishweshwar Bhat Kageri.

Speaking to reporters on the sidelines of a consultative programme on education reforms organised by the Centre for Educational and Social Studies (CESS) here on Friday, he said the Government had received several suggestions on solving the problems involved in its implementation. One suggestion was that five minutes could be cut from every class hour to accommodate remedial teaching within the school timings, rather than hold them before and after the classes, he added.

Although there had been resistance from a section of teachers to the programme that it was counterproductive because it kept children back in school for too long, Mr. Kageri argued that it had proved beneficial to all.

“This is not a permanent programme and there is no need for alarm,” he said.

Compulsory sports

Commenting on the recent circular of the Education Department that makes sports compulsory in all government schools for two hours, Mr. Kageri clarified that it was meant to be an “encouraging step” for the talented students, but there were “no hard and fast rules” on how it should be implemented.

Admitting that introducing an hour of compulsory sports before the remedial teaching programme would translate to pushing the beginning of school hours to 7 a.m. in cities like Bangalore where regular classes begin at 9 p.m., Mr. Kageri said that it would not be a “compulsory hour” for all.